by Layla Hagen
"Your dinner, Ms. Connor."
Even though Amber had been generous enough to treat me to the entire menu, I hadn't had time to touch the appetizers. I was starving, but I was afraid that a full belly would drain me of energy. As if he could sense my hesitation, the waiter said, "I have orders not to leave until you accept the dinner."
I didn't have to ask to know who'd given the orders. Warmth spread through me. Not the kind that was sparked by a kiss and simmered on the surface, lighting up my nerve endings. It was the more dangerous kind. The kind that went deep into my bones and was impossible to shake off.
"Thank you." I took the plate and the glass. Eating at the coffee table wasn't elegant, but I'd promised Dylan I'd stay here until he returned with the ice.
I didn't dare look at Graham again. I didn't think I could meet his eyes right now and not give myself away. I wanted him. I wanted him so much that I wondered again if it wasn't smarter to head home after all.
As the evening wound down, it appeared that someone else wanted to stay here too. Jackie was complaining loudly about going back to the city so late. Graham didn't extend her the offer to spend the night here.
A funny thing happened once the guests started filtering out. Despite having been on my feet the entire day, energy spiked in my veins.
"I can't feel my feet," Amber complained after the very last guest left. She put a hand on my shoulder, beaming. "Thank you for everything."
"My pleasure."
"Should we start taking down the decorations now?" she asked.
"That's my job. Don't you even think about it. You two hop in that fancy car waiting for you and go to your fancy hotel room. Don't you have a wedding night to celebrate?"
"Yes, yes we do!" Matt exclaimed.
Amber waved her hand dismissively, but winked at her husband. "Where's the hurry? You already knocked me up. Already sampled the goods."
Matt's eyes widened. Graham seemed suddenly very interested in a napkin he'd picked up off the floor. I pretended I didn't hear anything.
"Amber, I've got everything under control here. I'll tip the staff and then see to the decorations in the morning. Off you go."
She relented, and as Matt took her hand, Graham said, "I'll walk the two of you to the car."
Once they left, I tipped each member of the staff, thanking them for their work. I kept looking over my shoulder, checking if Graham had stepped back inside the tent. Usually, I was exhausted at the end of a wedding, but now I was so wired that I felt like tap dancing. After the staff left, I went by each lighting installation and turned it off. When I had two left, I heard someone step inside the tent. I would have known it was him even if we weren't the only ones left on the property. I recognized the strong, confident rhythm of his steps.
As I turned off the switch, the tent went darker than I expected. I realized Graham had turned off the last light at the same time. Some light was still filtering in from the house, but the semidarkness invited naughty and illicit activity. I couldn't believe my mind had gone there already.
Graham broke the silence first. "You did a great job today."
"Thanks, and back at you. You were an excellent best man."
"Does that mean I passed the test?"
"With flying colors."
He stepped close enough that I could see his smile. It was the closest we'd been for the past few hours, and I was suddenly very grateful he'd kept his distance during the party, because his proximity made it hard to think.
"You danced a lot," I said.
"Comes with best man duties."
With one hand, he undid his bowtie and popped open the top button of his shirt. There was something incredibly sexy about the fact that he felt comfortable enough around me to do that. That one button he'd undone didn't reveal much, though. I wondered how much relaxing it would take for him to pop open another one, give me a glimpse of his skin. Hell, I wouldn't say no to a peek at a nipple either. What were we talking about? Oh, that's right. Dancing.
"You seemed to have fun dancing. The girls certainly did."
He was silent for a beat, then moved even closer.
"Do you know how hard it was to stay away from you tonight, Lori?"
I sucked in a breath.
"You were the only woman I wanted to dance with, and I couldn't have you. The whole night, I've been fantasizing about making everyone leave so we could be alone."
I couldn't form an answer. All thoughts fled me. All my muscles were strung tight. He brought one hand to my belly, and I knew he could feel the tension coiled in my body.
"You're so tense, Lori. I want to ravish you." His hand moved higher. "I want to taste you, make you mine."
He brought his mouth to my ear, moved his hand from my belly up to cup my face, and kissed me. I moaned when our tongues collided. His sheer masculinity made my entire body thrum, lighting me up on the inside. It felt out-of-this-world good, just like before. Was it possible that I'd forgotten what it felt like to be kissed? No, I just hadn't been kissed by someone who was so good at it. And deep down, I knew no other kiss would ever match Graham's.
I searched in vain for my arsenal of excuses. I couldn't think. All I could do was feel. When he brought me flush against him, and his erection pressed against my belly, I lost all decency. I wound my fingers through his hair, tugging and demanding. His passion lit me up. He cinched my dress up until his fingers were on the bare skin of my thigh. He slid it to my ass and hoisted me up until l felt the tip of his erection against my center. I almost came, and my panties were still on.
"I want you so much, Lori. I don't know what not wanting you feels like anymore."
"I want you too," I admitted, voice low, almost a whisper.
He kissed me again, and I lifted one bent leg onto his thigh, opening up, grinding against him. I needed more friction. Oh my, this was too much. Feeling his fingers digging into my ass cheek, his hard chest pressing against my breasts, teasing my sensitive nipples, the length of his cock rubbing against my clit—
I exploded the next second, coming so hard that the leg I was standing on shook. The one I'd lifted spasmed. Graham held me tight to him while I regained my breath. I couldn't believe I'd just climaxed. It usually took me about fifteen minutes to relax and work myself up to a high point. Embarrassment gnawed at me, but Graham put me at ease with one sentence.
"Lori, you coming like that was so damn sexy."
He took my hand, and we moved onto the pathway leading up to the house. As we stepped inside, I heard a buzzing sound. Graham took his phone out of his pocket, tossed it in the bowl with keys at the right of the entrance.
"Don't you want to take that? Could be important."
"Lori, that phone could be on fire and it wouldn't stop me."
Okay then.
Up the stairs we went, then into the master bedroom. He kissed me against the door, his hand tugging on the zipper of my dress. A shiver ran through me. My muscles tensed.
"What's wrong?" he murmured.
"Nothing," I said quickly.
"Lori, I can feel you thinking, stressing. You go all rigid when you're nervous. Talk to me."
"I haven't done this in a while." I glanced out the window, at the ocean, not quite able to meet his eyes. The moon hung low, its glow amplified by the reflection in the water. Graham cupped my cheek, turning my head until our eyes locked.
Chapter Fourteen
Lori
"I'll make it so good. I promise. Do you trust me to do that?"
I nodded, and he kissed me again. He started with my mouth, moved over to my shoulder. "I've fantasized about undressing you all night." He undid the zipper of my dress, slipped a hand on my bare skin, blowing my inhibitions to smithereens. "Since I saw this dress, all I could think about was taking it off you."
I needed him naked. I wanted to admire that gorgeous, bronze skin. I wanted to touch and taste. With eager fingers, I got to work on the buttons of his shirt, until I freed his torso. The reality was more delic
ious than all the fantasies I'd had. I ran my hand across his steely muscles and placed open-mouthed kisses on the expanse of his chest. He interrupted my exploration before I could have my fill, though I was starting to suspect I couldn't ever have enough of him.
He rid me of my dress next. Taking one step back, he took me in from head to toe. I felt exposed in my lacy bra and panties, but the hunger in his gaze put me at ease. And when he captured my mouth and pulled my ponytail free, fisting my curls, heat coiled low in my belly. I rolled my hips almost involuntarily and slammed right into his, trapping his erection between us. Even through his pants, I could feel how much he wanted me. Through the haze of lust, I felt him kneel before me, taking off my pumps. He kissed my legs, moving to my inner thighs. As he moved farther up, I felt heat gather between my thighs, adrenaline coursing through me, like a buzz that wouldn't quiet. I'd never felt so aware of my body, so alive.
Hooking his thumbs in the elastic band of my panties, he tugged them down, exposing me further. Without warning, he swiped his tongue over my center, and I saw stars.
"Graham!"
He moved up, kissing the top of my breasts next. My nipples were pressing painfully against my bra. As if sensing that, he undid the clasp and kneaded my bare breasts, swirling his tongue around one nipple, then moving to the other. I felt every lash of his tongue between my legs as if my peaks were wired to my clit.
A bolt of energy zapped through me, making me rise on my tiptoes and brace my hands on his biceps. When he groaned against my skin, I clenched my thighs. The emptiness inside me was becoming unbearable. I pushed his pants down with one hand, and Graham kicked off his boxers next. At last, he was naked. He was glorious. Utterly glorious. He led me to his king-size bed, and when I climbed on it, my first instinct was to cross my legs.
He cuffed my ankles, spreading me wide open, climbing between my thighs, and lowering his head right above my center.
He nuzzled my clit with the tip of his nose, pulling one fold between his lips, then the other. I nearly came again. My back arched, and I fisted his sheets to keep from tugging at his hair. His back wasn't in my reach, but I thought I might scratch him if it was. This man brought up wild impulses in me that I didn't recognize.
"Graham, that’s perfect. Oh, God, it's so good."
When he shifted his weight on the mattress, I looked between us and saw he was rolling on a condom. I swallowed hard at the size of him. He kissed up my belly, between my breasts, until his face was level with mine. A tremble of anticipation rocked me when I felt his erection against my inner thigh.
He gripped himself at the base, flicking the tip around my entrance, circling my clit, until I was panting and trembling in earnest and utterly soaked. Then he pushed inside me. He gave me just the tip, but a strangled sound tumbled from my lips, somewhere between a gasp and a moan. He moved in slowly, barely half an inch with every thrust, giving me time to adjust. He unleashed an inferno inside me. I didn't want it slow anymore. I wanted all his passion, without restraint. I rolled my hips, taking him in to the hilt. Feeling him so deep inside knocked the breath out of me.
"Lori, fuck. Oh, baby."
"Wow."
He lowered one hand, slipping it under my ass, digging his fingers into one cheek on every thrust, kissing me feverishly. I felt full—so impossibly, blissfully full—with his tongue in my mouth, his cock inside me, his pelvis pressing against my bundle of nerves with every thrust. I'd never known pleasure like this, white-hot and all consuming. Our rhythm was feral, and I'd moved from fisting the sheets to tugging at his hair. I dragged my lips over every inch of him I could reach, and it wasn't enough. I wanted to savor him. This man was pure perfection. His arms and shoulders were corded with muscles, which flexed on every thrust. I licked a morsel of taut skin, then took one nip with my teeth. Graham let out a low growl. He'd liked it.
I felt my inner muscles spasm, tightening around him as an orgasm teased my nerve endings. I didn't have time to prepare myself for it. I climaxed the next second, crying out Graham's name, gripping his shoulders. In the throes of passion, I felt him widening inside me. He was right near the peak. I held him close to me as he came, thrusting hard. For a second, I couldn't breathe. My muscles protested as we lay wrapped around each other.
When he rolled over to take care of the condom, my skin was suddenly cold in all the
places he'd touched me before. He moved to the edge of the bed, with his back to me. What was I supposed to do now? Hop in his shower, or go to my room? I wanted to feel those strong arms around me a tad longer, but I didn't want to overstay my welcome. Was this a one-night thing?
"Should I go to my room?" I asked, fiddling with the pillow. Graham straightened up.
The easy, natural silence from before turned loaded. My stomach clenched tighter with every beat of silence.
Even though the door was closer to Graham's edge of the bed, I moved toward the other one. He half turned then, and something in his gaze made me stop moving.
"I’d like you to stay, Lori. You don’t want that?”
“I do.”
"That’s settled, then. Let’s shower together.” His voice carried a hint of demand now. The tightening in my stomach loosened.
"Okay."
He held out his hand for me, and I moved toward him. He had a curious expression on his face. It looked a little like relief, a lot like desire. On the way to the bathroom, he walked one step behind me. I hadn't thought much of it until I felt his hand slide down one ass cheek, giving it a little squeeze, then a tiny smack. I whipped around to face him.
"Hey!"
"You're too tempting." He hooked an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. "Couldn't resist. Can you blame me?"
"Yes. Yes, I totally can." We were only a breath apart, smiling against each other's lips. Giddiness bubbled up inside me and didn't subside while we showered.
Graham's bathroom was almost as large as his bedroom. We were surrounded by shiny black tiles and silver specks of color. The bathtub was large enough to throw a party in it. The shower had more than a dozen programs.
"This is fancier than a spa," I said. "Which program should we use?"
"Your choice."
"Really?" I clapped my hands then got to work. The first button I pushed shot out a jet so strong it nearly plastered me to the wall of the shower. "Maybe not this one."
I looked closely at the signs painted on each button, but it was like trying to decipher Chinese letters. Okay... so trial by error it was. I played some more, settling on one that had a comfortable pressure. While the warm spray of water descended upon us, I rubbed the sides of my neck.
"Neck massage?" he asked.
"Yes, please." As he flipped me around, I counted my lucky stars for his gentlemanly manners. A minute into the massage, he flattened himself against my back and rubbed his erection slowly against my ass cheeks. I pretended nothing out of the ordinary was happening, up until he slid one hand to my breasts.
"That's not my neck." I was fighting to sound serious.
He tugged at my earlobe with his teeth. "Seemed to also require my attention."
"How could you tell?"
"Close observation."
"Other places you think require your attention?"
He slid his hand further down until he brushed my clit. It was a feather light touch, but I buckled, gasping.
"You're still so wound up, sweetness. I could make you come all over my hand.”
"That sounds so dirty," I said breathlessly. I braced myself for more of the sweet torture, but he flipped me around instead and kissed me slowly, tenderly.
"The things I want to do to you, Lori," he whispered when he pulled back, rubbing the tip of his erection against my belly. My knees became weaker with every rub. There was no mistaking the feral glint in his eyes. Clearly, he was making serious sexy plans already. I hadn't even thought beyond some messing around, but clearly, it was time to think bigger—sexier. I wasn't sure my body could even take more p
leasure tonight, but I trusted Graham's abilities to ravish me.
And by God, did he ever ravish me.
"You corrupted my plan to sleep," I informed him a while later as he propped a pillow on the headrest and leaned against it. He pulled me to him until my back was flat against his chest. The circle of his arms was officially my favorite place in the world. Steely muscles, smooth skin. What was there not to love?
"This is better than sleep."
"So much better," I agreed. "I love this view. The moon and the water...."
"I like looking at the water. I house hunted for a property in this area for a long time. Finally bought it off a celebrity, even though the villa's not really my style. I thought about renovating, but it's too much hassle. The view sold me on the place. I grew up smack dab in the middle of the city, but I spent my vacations with my grandmother in Tampa. She lives near the beach. My best memories are from there. You'd like Nana."
"She still lives in Tampa?"
"Yeah. I tried talking her into moving here, but no chance. She moved there after divorcing my grandfather and is running a restaurant she bought. I think LA has too many unhappy memories for her."
His confession caught me by surprise. I hadn't expected him to share something so personal.
"You see her often?"
"I fly to Tampa on every major holiday."
"That's sweet."
I wasn't sure how things would be between us in the morning, but for now I wanted to enjoy this sexy man. As we lay like that, a low rumble echoed through the room.
"Someone's hungry." I rubbed my back against his stomach. Then I rubbed my own stomach, adding, "This someone is hungry too."
"Let's raid my kitchen."
"I don't eat this late at night. Calories count twice."
He cradled my legs between his thighs, rocking me while he pushed my hair to one side, kissing the back of my neck. Our closeness felt incredibly intimate.
"Lori, you're absolutely gorgeous. But if it eases your conscience, think of this as early breakfast."
His lips curled against the back of my neck. He was the devil. He really was. Was there anything he couldn't talk me into?
